Five must have learning apps for kids (2-10 years age)

For parents, especially where both are working, it becomes difficult to occupy their kids while they have to complete their household chores, take an important phone call or during a long plane trip. Here are few apps which you can easily download and can keep your kids engage for hours on the go and improve their learning skills too simultaneously.

1) Gummies Playground: Aimed at preschool children (2-5 years), the app provides a curriculum based collection of 8 games with three levels of difficulty and 25 mini-games. It teaches basic numbers, letters, shapes, colors, animals, foods, matching, detecting differences, and more. The mentors are adorable ‘Gummies’, in sparkling colours and funny shapes, which toddlers will love to engage with. Also, each game is voice-narrated to ensure non-readers know what to do.

The games get more engaging and more interesting as one proceeds to the further levels(even I can’t resist playing that). After the end of a set of mini games, the gummies sing together to applaud the player, however, the same music again and again sometimes put it to a boring tune (sadly, there is no way to skip it).

But overall, the app is quite engaging and will keep the young ones busy for long hours. The app is available for both Android and iOS for free. However, the free version provides only a limited time access for playing it. For parents to unlock the whole app, there’s a single in-app purchase for USD 1.99.

2) Numbers & Addition: As can be easily guessed from the name, the app aims to develop basic mathematics skills, and is useful for both the preschool and kindergarten kids aged between 3-6 years. Built around the theme of cute savannah animals, the app offers a great way of learning key math skills such as counting, ordering numbers and adding or subtracting. Also, there is a two-player mode for parent-child or peer-to-peer gameplay in the ‘Calculate’ section.

The app is also unique in one another way. Parents can even make multiple profiles for each of their child and can even get email updates on their progress. All game modes are quite interactive and each skill is being taught in quite a fun filled way with gimmicks like Frogs, Ostriches and Meerkats.

The app is available both on Android and iOS for free offering only the counting mode, with an option to do In-app purchase of the full length game.

3) Color Band: This app is a great for parents interested in introducing their kids of age 3-12 years to the world of art and music. Currently available only for iPad, at one look, it would seem just like a simple paint app. But wait, its a little bit more than that. With over 80 interactive colors, each color is with a unique sound and represents an instrument or an effect.

It not only creates music simultaneously while the kids are drawing their imaginations. But, also, after finishing the artwork, kids can play it using the iPads built in camera, by touch, or by automatic playback or simply by waving their hands in front of the screen. One can also have Color Bands cute mascot bunny “Lalabee” dance along to their creations.

This free art and music creation app comes with a limited number of instruments and drawing spaces, but more are available as an in-app purchase.

4) Pettson’s Inventions: A fun and pedagogic app that teaches logic and stimulates creativity for children of all ages. Pettson’s set of puzzles, can be a good way to engage kids aged 6 and above. The app provides 66 puzzle games involving both fun and education at the same time. With a multi touch friendly layout, one can compete in puzzles against their friends or the inbuilt clock.

The puzzles are colourful and creative with some based on basic physics principles. The app is available both on Android (USD 3.36) and iOS (USD 3.99). Much to the parents relief, there are no other in app purchases to be made.

5) AutisMate: This app is specially designed for children suffering from autistic syndrome. Most of such kids find difficulty even in doing their regular household chores and even communicating the simplest of the matters. AutisMate is an iPad app with an approach to encourage the user to develop communication and behavioral skills simultaneously, allowing each skill to build on the other.

In just a few minutes, caregivers can upload their own custom videos, audio, and images or take a picture or video for an instant show. The tools like visual modelling and Visual schedules can be an effective way to make these kids learn appropriate behavior for day to day real life situations.

The app is available for purchase at USD 149.90. It can be personalized to each user and progresses with their changing needs. Also, scenes can be tied to user’s physical locations through GPS, presenting them with the appropriate scenes from their current location instantly.

Since long, we are having worldwide debates on the amount of exposure of technology to the kids. To some extent even the psychologists believe that engaging kids with tablets apps is much better than making them sit in front of televisions. However, its a clear responsibility of parents how they mark the line between virtual digital learning and real physical world learning for their kids. Keep this in mind and enjoy the fun world of these apps.